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Blue Note reissues

I became a serious vinyl convert less than a year ago and ever since have been buying records regularly to enlarge my collection. I listen almost exclusively to jazz and buy new reissues of jazz releases, most of them on Blue Note, but also Prestige, Riverside and Columbia.

To say that I am disappointed by the quality of the vinyl is an understatement. Virtually every record is warped, which I can live with, reluctantly. A bigger problem is the distortion that becomes more and more prevalent on reissues. It's a short buzzing sound, which sounds kind of like the sound of lost airwaves on the radio but higher in pitch. I know it's not my cart as I have records that sound perfect, and it's in the the same spot on faulty records so it must be a quality issue with transfer and manufacture.
I also own quite a few used original pressings or old reissues and none of them have a similar defect, which leads me to believe that it is a current problem with quality control. It is extremely frustrating as I've spent thousands of dollars on my rig and record cleaning machine only to spin warped records that sound distorted.

I know this topic has been discussed many times here on A-gon but I would actually like to do something about it. I know many designers and manufacturers read the forum, but it seems not record companies' reps as it's not getting any better. As a community of many thousands who pay a lot of money to indulge in our hobby and passion, I think we should be able to exert some level of pressure on companies like Blue Note to release products of high quality. I'm open to ideas and suggestions. Where I could, I emailed the record company, but Blue Note for example has not contact info at all. Also, I'm afraid single emails won't do much.
actusreus

Showing 6 responses by doctorcilantro

doctorcilantro
59 posts
 
Wondering about this as I have heard mono Kind of Blue, CD, and the new blue vinyl 180gm remaster.

It seems there is distortion. Check out the intro to Kind of Blue, where the horns come in. the saxes? have distortion. The "breathy" quality breaks up. This is also found at the end of side 1 when the volume drops again and I think on the horns. I'm pretty sure this is on the recording, and actually much more apparent on my stereo remaster than on the mono.
doctorcilantro
59 posts
 
Hah! Yes, it is at the beginning and end of "So What" when the horns do that quiet riff. My stereo remaster really picks this up very clearly.
doctorcilantro
59 posts
 
Interesting. I have a SS Voice on the way, and after meticulous setup I will try again with the re-issue blue vinyl KOB. I hear that break-up on many versions, even CD in my FLAC collection (not sure which it is yet).
doctorcilantro
59 posts
 
The best thing is to buy from a dealer who will take them back no question I guess. Maybe I can add a list to track bad pressings to my blog too.
doctorcilantro
59 posts
 
I'm one my 2nd copy of a double LP, new release from RCA Sony. Both have been all marked up like they had been played on a crappy table. They were clean of course, but in indirect light all these surface marks were apparent, AND some pitting too!
doctorcilantro
59 posts
 
"In 2009 to celebrate the album's 50th anniversary, Sony Music decided to reissue the album newly mastered from the same original 3 track master Classic had used, both on CD and blue vinyl as part of a box set containing a book and other supplementals. That set can still be found online in in some stores.

The lacquers were cut (speed corrected) from the 3-track original tape by George Marino at Sterling Sound and plated and pressed on 180g blue vinyl either at Rainbo in California or at United in Nashville (I can't remember which). Unfortunately, virtually every copy pressed was horrendously noisy for the first ten minutes or so (at least) due, probably to "non-fill" that occurs when the vinyl begins to harden before it's squeezed outward fully and the plate's ridges can create a clean groove.

What a shame!

However, at the same time the lacquer was cut, Marino created a 96k/24 bit file from which the set's CD was produced. That file was used by Music on Vinyl, a European company that some years ago bought Sony's Holland-based vinyl pressing plant.

This two LP set is also pressed on blue vinyl. The first album is the KOB we all know and love but speed corrected, while the second LP has the alternative version of "Flamenco Sketches" on one side and a version of "On Green Dolphin Street" recorded prior to the KOB sessions featuring the Evans, Coltrane, Chambers and Cobb lineup."

I have the Music On Vinyl copy and like I said, the horns break up at that low volume while the rest of the spectrum is fine. Must be the horns mic'ing or needing dejuicing.
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